New star of The Bachelor admits ‘it’s very hard to date 17 women at once’
Alex Marks found the competing attentions of his admirers too much.
The star of The Bachelor reboot has said he found managing the competing attentions of the show’s 17 women a challenge.
Personal trainer Alex Marks, 31, is the new face of the Channel 5 programme, which is returning after a seven-year break.
Some 17 single women compete for his affection over 10 episodes, which have been filmed in locations including South Africa, Antigua and the UK.
Marks, who is 6ft 6in and styles himself on British model David Gandy, said the decision of who to boot off each week was made harder by the fact he felt a connection with many of the women “from the first day”.
Speaking after filming finished, he said: “It was really, really difficult. I was very conscious of that going into it and I think I did a pretty good job at respecting everybody in that way.
“That being said, wait and watch because it’s very hard to date 17 women at once, especially when you do feel a sense of connection with a few of them from the first day.
“Everyone’s there, vying for your attention and you’ve got to be respectful of that, giving everyone equal opportunity.”
He added: “My advice to the next guy, should there be another season, is strap yourself in.”
The reality series, which follows an eligible single man in his search for love, debuted in the US in 2002 and spawned a number of international versions including in Australia and Germany.
Marks said he was looking for more than beauty in a potential partner and hoped to find a “deeper level” of connection.
He said: “They say that beauty captures the attention but personality captures the heart, and for me that’s really paramount.
“I want to be able to connect to somebody on a deeper level than just what they look like.”
He also revealed the show’s creators recruited him through his Instagram, which features photos of him topless and training in the gym, and has more than 7,000 followers.
He said: “They found me on Instagram, which was a pretty magical place for that kind of stuff.
“The motivation was that I had sidelined romance in a relationship to devote my time to building my business and launching my personal training studio.”
Five series inspired by The Bachelor have aired in the UK, firstly on BBC Three from 2003 to 2005 and for two series on Channel 5 in 2011 and 2012.
Previous men to have appeared in the title role include former Welsh international rugby union player Gavin Henson and Made In Chelsea star Spencer Matthews.
The Bachelor UK returns to Channel 5 on March 4.
